• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Members of the Negros Island Region (NIR) Technical Working Group (TWG) are scheduled to hold their first meeting next week, which will be presided by Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., Negros Occidental Sixth District Rep. Mercedes Alvarez said on Thursday (Aug. 1).
The first meeting of the TWG, composed of representatives of DILG, Department of Budget and Management, National Economic Development Authority, three NIR governors and legislators of the newly-created region, was supposed to be held on Aug. 2.
Alvarez said expected to be discussed in the meeting will be the implementing rules and regulations of the NIR, and possible amendments, if any.
She said that she will push for the creation of satellite offices of every regional office in other NIR provinces.
As of this time, only the Department of Health and the Commission on Elections have started to set up their respective regional offices in the NIR, following the appointments of their regional directors.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he wants to know if there will be one area for regional offices, or if it will be divided among Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, based on the provisions of the NIR Act.
“What is important is that we can get the NIR started and functional,” he added.
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, who is among the principal authors of the NIR Act in the Senate, earlier signified his intention to join the TWG meeting, especially in the budget deliberations. | GB
